Amelia's Legacy: A Captain's Promise
by Lauren Rae
Summary: Before they set sail for Treasure Planet, Captain Amelia reflects upon and comes to terms with an event that changed her life forever.


****

Disclaimer: Captain Amelia, Mr. Arrow, and anything related to Treasure Planet belong to Disney and…not me! *tear* 

****

Thanks: Havana, for suggesting that I write an Amelia story, reading it first and helping me with "title block" – haha.

****

Notes: I absolutely loved Treasure Planet and Amelia was definitely my favorite character. I really wanted to write a story about her, but couldn't think of what to write. Then this idea came, so I went with it. I was iffy about this one (as I keep getting writer's block as of late), but I loved it when it was finished. And so, I hope you all like it too. Any feedback is welcome! Enjoy the story! ^_^

**__**

Amelia's Legacy: A Captain's Promise

The day was crisp and clear – perfect for sailing. Captain Amelia sat at her desk in the stateroom of the RLS _Legacy_, finishing up paperwork that they would need to file for their journey. She had been hired to captain the ship that would supposedly find the legendary Treasure Planet, and until the crew had arrived it hadn't quite sunk in. Of course now that she was stuck with what seemed to be a band of hooligans for a crew, it had become quite clear to her as to what she might be in for.

"Captain," a deep solid voice said from the doorway.

"Hello, Arrow," Amelia replied without looking up from her work. Mr. Arrow was her first mate, tried and true. He stood by her side through thick and thin no matter what. Though they had been thrown together under the worst circumstances, Amelia knew that she could trust Arrow with her life. As for the events that had brought them together… well, she didn't like to think about that. She furrowed her brow for a moment. "Is there any news about the pirates? I heard that they were out and about as of late."

"It seems that they've left the area. After that last attack reported from Montressor, they disappeared."

"That's strange. Well, if any pirates even dare go near this ship, there will be hell to pay." Amelia's eyes flickered with anger for a moment, and Arrow stepped back. He knew of his Captain's hate of pirates. In fact, there was nothing that she hated more… But as soon as the anger came, it had gone. Clearing her throat, the Captain looked up at her first mate. "Is the crew almost ready to go?"

"The crew is assembling as we speak. The financier of this trip – Dr. Doppler – should be arriving shortly." 

"Good," Amelia clicked the top on her pen and stood. "The paperwork's done. I'm going above deck for some air. I'd like you to keep an eye on the crew, if you know what I mean. You know what I said about them this morning…"

"Yes, I remember it quite clearly."

"Well that's still my thought. We need to watch this bunch. I don't think they're to be trusted. And you'd think that this Dr. Doppler could've hired better people?" She stretched for a moment and then sighed. "Ah well, what can you do?" She got up to leave the room, but was stopped by Arrow, who had put a firm hand on her shoulder. 

"I know this might not be the right time to ask, but are you all right with this trip, Captain?"

"Perfectly fine."

"It's been ten years to this day. To be honest with you, I wasn't sure that you'd want to set sail…"

"Arrow, please." Amelia pulled away from his grip. "We have to set sail today in order to keep on schedule. You know that as well as I do. I'm fine."

The rock man nodded. "I'll take your word for it." He watched the captain walk slowly from the room and then glanced at one of the walls. A picture hung there, of a woman with similar features as Amelia. She was smiling in the picture, her reddish-brown hair hanging in curls that framed her face. 

"Top of the morning to you, Victoria," Arrow said, and smiled slightly. He had always greeted her that way. She had usually returned his greeting with her brilliant smile, and then would proceed to crack some sort of joke. She was like that – always trying to keep her fellow spacers in good spirits. Arrow slowly removed his hat. "Ten years to this day. She would've wanted you to be here for this launch. Wherever you are, I hope you're doing well…" Then he placed the hat back on his head and left the room to see to matters above deck.

*****

Meanwhile, Amelia had ascended to the top deck of her ship. The crew milled about, preparing the ship for launch. Everything seemed to be going smoothly, so Amelia decided to climb up to the crow's nest to think for a while. It was something that she usually did before a trip; in fact, it had been a tradition between her and her sister. Victoria – her beautiful older sister who was just as smart, fierce, and no-nonsense as herself. That's who Amelia had admired and looked up to. When they were girls, she and Victoria would sit up on the crow's nest on their father's ship for hours and hours. It was there that they would talk of the excitement and adventure of traveling the universe. It was also there that Victoria had told her the story of Captain Flint's treasure – the loot of a thousand worlds. In their youth they had vowed to find that treasure, but of course it had all been a child's fantasy. Years later they had decided to abandon their "childish" ideas in order to establish real careers in the Interstellar Navy. But Amelia knew that Victoria had often thought of getting her own ship and creating her own adventures. Victoria had been a dreamer like that, a characteristic that Amelia didn't possess. Sure Amelia dreamed, but her thoughts were firmly rooted in reality. Victoria, on the other hand, was always ready to drop everything and sacrifice her career and prestige to be a real explorer. But she'd never gotten that chance, and now she never would. And after everything was said and done, Amelia was finally off to find that treasure that they had spoken of so often, but Victoria… "Ten years, Tori," she whispered to herself. 

Once upon a time they were going to sail through space together. But now Victoria was gone. She had been for ten years, and it seemed as if nothing would ever bring her back. Nothing could. Amelia remembered so much now. Victoria had been the one who inspired her to become a spacer. When Amelia graduated from the Academy to become part of the Interstellar Navy, Victoria had insisted that Mr. Arrow, their family friend who had been looking out for her for years, should look out for Amelia instead. She'd assured them that she would be fine on her own. As the years passed, Victoria became the first mate of the ship that she had served on since she'd graduated from the Academy. The sisters made every effort to keep in touch, and eventually their ships had joined together in a fleet of eight that would go into battle with the Procyon Armada. However, pirates had intercepted the fleet and attacked, hoping to gain riches and military hostages. Only seven ships survived that battle. Amelia had used her quick wit to save those ships during the battle in which she proved herself to be much more than a spacer. In fact, it had bumped her up all the way to the rank of captain, making her the youngest one in history to hold that position. But while she should've been proud of that accomplishment, she couldn't be. Even to that day. Amelia took her job with all honor and seriousness, but sometimes it got to be too much. And now she looked back on that fateful day that had changed her life forever…

*****

__

"Miss Amelia! Amelia, we're under attack!" Mr. Arrow had woken the young Amelia from a deep sleep.

"What's going on?"

"Pirates are attacking the fleet. Hurry up, all hands must be above deck!"

Amelia threw on her coat and shoes quickly and dashed above deck. Her captain was shouting order, and the crew scrambled to battle positions. As she climbed up the ropes to her position, she could see a large pirate ship already attacking one of the ships – the one that was the head of the fleet for the night. The fight was full force, with lasers and sparks flying everywhere. And the ship that Amelia was on would be next in line if the first couldn't hold off the pirates. 

"Take her left and around," the Captain shouted from below. "We'll take her around and join up with the others to trap these brutes and take them in." Amelia watched him point out his plan. But there was something wrong. One detail that the Captain had apparently missed - a glint on the horizon. Amelia had been able to see it from her vantage point high above the deck, and what she saw spelled out danger for their fleet. "Invisi-ships," she gasped. Invisi-ships, true to their name, were invisible ships that had been devised by the military for sneak attacks. The only way to spot one was if light were to hit it in a certain spot, sending off a reflection. How pirates had gotten hold of the technology, she didn't know. What she did know that if they stuck to the route they were taking, they were doomed. 

Though it was a complete violation of protocol, she scrambled down the rigs and away from her post. "Captain!" she shouted! "Captain, we have to turn around!" Suddenly the boat shook, as if it had collided with something. Shocked by her captain's confused expression, Amelia ran up to him. "Invisi-ships, sir! I saw them. There must be at least three out there!" Then, out of nowhere, pirates began to pour over the sides of their ship. The scene turned to utter chaos. Laser beams cut through the air, and Amelia dropped to the ground. 

All of a sudden, her captain dropped beside her. "Captain!" He had been shot in the chest, and the wound was severe. Blood was spreading at Amelia's feet, and she feared that he might not be able to pull them through the battle. Never had she seen such a wound. "Spacer Amelia, take the helm now." "But Captain!" "Do you dare refuse orders?" "No, sir!"

Without looking back, Amelia took control of the ship, shouting orders as if it was her own. Arrow was right by her side, making sure that his protégé was safe. After all, he had promised Victoria that he would watch out for her younger sister. Under Spacer Amelia's command, the crew managed to fight the pirates off of their ship and take prisoners. She had also been able to inform the rest of the fleet of the dangerous invisi-ships, ultimately saving them from destruction. 

As soon as the battle had started, it had ended. Arrow approached her and immediately congratulated her.

"Superb job, Amelia. You pulled us through like an experienced professional."

"Please, Mr. Arrow, you flatter me too much. I was just doing what any other spacer would've done."

"But with complete control. Why, you might get a bump up the ladder for this!"

"Enough of that," she said. "How's the captain?"

"Not well, I'm afraid. His injuries are quite serious, and he must be transported to a hospital as soon as possible."

"And what of the other ships?"

"Seven are in good condition and ready to keep going..."

"Seven? Mr. Arrow, there are eight ships in our fleet. Why wasn't I told that one was unable to continue on!"

"Well, though you just brought us through this battle with all of the air of a captain, officially, you're not…"

"But which ship is it?" Amelia's eyes begged to know, so Arrow decided to stop lecturing her and just tell her the truth.

"The RLS Integrity will not be able to keep sailing…"

"Integrity!" Amelia's eyes went wide and she let go of the wheel. "Mr. Arrow, that's Victoria's ship! We should've gone to help them…or sent others! We have to go see how bad it is. They might need our help!"

She dashed down the stairs to one of the longboats, Arrow following close behind. "Amelia, please. You know that you cannot let your emotions interfere. It is your duty to serve the galaxy first and foremost."

"To hell with it, Arrow! My sister's on that ship." Amelia made sure the longboat was at full power and blasted off toward the RLS Integrity. As they neared the ship, she could see that it had been ransacked. Smoke billowed from one end of it, and it was clear that the Integrity was going to be lost. However, it was Amelia's duty to make sure that any survivors were brought to safety. Still, something nagged her in the back of her mind. 

Leaving Arrow to tie up the longboat, she boarded the disintegrating ship. Integrity was well known as one of the best fighting ships around. So what had gone wrong that day? 

"Amelia, best be on your guard," Arrow said from behind her. "There's a pirate's longboat over the side. We might be in for an attack, no doubt planned to surprise anyone who'd try to help Integrity."

"We'll be fine," Amelia replied, and took out her laser gun. Then she had a real look at the destruction that the pirates had caused. The dirty scumbags of space had run the crew of the Integrity over. Bodies littered the deck, and Amelia had to keep herself from shuddering. She told herself to keep calm. Spacers were trained to always keep themselves calm and in control – no matter what the situation may be.

"Avast, and what do we have here?" came a gruff voice from behind them. They turned to find five pirates standing before them. And one…spacer. Amelia's eyes went wide to see Victoria standing stiffly before them. One of the pirates – the biggest one, a presumably the leader – had a firm grip on her sister's arms. Still, Victoria stood proud and strong, head high and expression placid. Obviously she was the only crewmember still alive on the ship. And it appeared that the pirates were about to take her hostage…but they hadn't expected Amelia and Arrow to be there. 

Surprised, but still with the upper hand, the pirates began to advance on the two. Amelia pointed her laser gun at them. "Don't come any closer, or I'll shoot," she warned. 

"And kill one of your own?" the leader inquired. "We could get a good price for this pretty one. The first mate of the great RLS Integrity, no less!" His lips curved into a wicked grin. "But would you have the guts to kill her? I think that would be an interesting price for you to pay." Victoria looked at her sister and nodded slightly. Amelia knew what she was thinking: the safety of the other ships came before her own. That was just the way that Victoria was – a true spacer, always putting her ship and crew before herself. And this was how she would be repaid?

"If I have to shoot through her to get to you then I will," Amelia said, her voice shaking. 

The pirates looked at each other, and one by one those same wicked smiles spread across their faces. "We don't believe you. But we're willing to make a deal. Kill this woman, one of your own, and we'll be on our way and not interfere with your fleet again."

"What kind of sick game do you think you're playing?" Amelia growled and with a swift motion, fired her laser at the head pirate. He fell to the deck, releasing his grip on Victoria. A fight broke out between the pirates and the three spacers. But that was when it all went wrong… Amelia hadn't killed the head pirate, and when Victoria was fighting off one of his men, he ambushed her. Suddenly everything was chaotic, as the pirates (finally satisfied with what they had come for) decided to make a run for it. Amelia and Arrow followed, making sure that they were indeed gone.

"Victoria!" Amelia shouted when she was sure that the pirates had left. "They're gone! Let's get out of here!" But Victoria was lying on the ground, one hand over her side. "VICTORIA!!!" Amelia ran to her sister and knelt beside her. "Can you hear me?" She took Victoria's hand and gaped at the large wound in her sister's side. "Oh! You're hurt badly! Come, we must move quickly now!"

Victoria opened her eyes and smiled, though she was in obvious pain. "Well, it seems as if I'm in a bit of a spot. Ame, it's just a scratch." She laughed slightly. 

Amelia couldn't believe her sister's happy-go-lucky attitude. "No! We need to get you to our ship. You need medical attention right away!" She began to apply pressure to the gash that seemed as if it would never stop bleeding. It looked just as severe as her Captain's wound… but the Captain was going to pull through, so Amelia naturally thought that her sister would too.

"Save your efforts for yourself," Victoria said, trying to stop her younger sister's desperate attempt to save her life.

"What? No!"

"Amelia," Victoria's voice was kind, but firm. "I know that I'm not going to make it with this wound. It's too deep. When I joined the Interstellar Navy, I was aware of the danger. Granted, nobody ever expects these things to happen. Still, we must be ready to accept and face them. That's the consequence of this job."

"We can't give up! I can't leave you here!"

"You can and you will. Whether you like it or not, I'm still your superior officer, and these are my orders. I'd like to go down with this ship. The Integrity was my life, so it's fitting that we die together."

"Victoria! Please don't say that!"

"Now you listen to me," Victoria said, shushing her sister. "I want you to go on and become the best spacer you can be. Reach for the stars, Amelia, for I know that they're right in your grasp. Go back with Mr. Arrow and help lead our fleet to victory. I know you can do it. You've got the whole universe at your fingertips, Amelia. Live your life to the fullest. Don't pass up the opportunity to take on anything and everything. I hope you find happiness in all that you do in the future. Mr. Arrow, please take care of her…" she coughed violently, cringing in pain, and then her eyes closed slowly. Amelia held her sister's hand and watched her chest rise and fall for the last time. Then all was still.

"VICTORIA!" she cried. 

"Amelia, we need to get back to our ship. The Integrity is going to fall apart."

"But…Victoria…"

"She's gone. And she wants to go down with her ship. She was an honorable spacer, and we must obey her wish to remain here. You don't have the authority to change that."

"But…I'm such a failure! I could save seven ships, but I couldn't even save my own sister. And what glory comes with that? Nothing. Now she'll never get her chance to go out and search for treasure. She'll never be able to chase her dreams, as impossible as they seemed. And I'll never see her again. I failed her. I failed myself…"

"You did what you could. I'm sorry, Amelia, but we must go now."

Arrow escorted Amelia back into the longboat. She sat without another word, shoulders slumped and expressionless. Her heart was crying, but she told herself not to. At the Academy, crying would've been taken as a sign of weakness. Amelia was determined to appear strong, but her mind was racing. Did her sister really just die on that ship? Why, Amelia remembered the day that Victoria had been promoted to "first mate." She had appeared at the helm of the Integrity beside her captain in all her pride and glory, eyes lit up like a child, ready to face the challenges and adventures that lay before her. And now she was gone – just like that.

Amelia straightened up, still trying to mask her true feelings. As they blasted away from the Integrity, she looked over her shoulder to glance at it one more time, and as she did…it exploded into millions of pieces. 

*****
Once the fleet had returned from battle, Amelia had been immediately promoted to the rank of Captain for her bravery and fearlessness. A funeral service had been held for Victoria shortly after their return. Amelia still couldn't come to grips with the fact that her sister was truly gone. Over the years it had been quite difficult for her to cope at times. For many of those years, Amelia felt guilty that she had been made a Captain. A Captain for the sacrifice of her sister's ship and life. Still, Arrow pulled her through, always reminding her of the good things that she was capable of. Once they left the navy, she began to feel stronger and better about herself and her position. When she was given the opportunity to captain the ship that had the potential to find Treasure Planet, she jumped at it. Though sometimes in the back of her mind Amelia felt as if she shouldn't be the one at the helm, she knew in her heart that this was what Victoria would want if she couldn't be there herself. Now, as she was about to embark on perhaps the greatest voyage of her life, Amelia reached into her coat pocket and took out a piece of paper. It was wrinkled and worn, but she unfolded it and read…
__

Dear Ame,

Hello, and how are you? I hope this letter finds you well. How's the Academy coming along? I'll admit that it was tough on me the first few months, but it's all worth it in the end. Currently we're sailing pretty much in the middle of nowhere. We're headed toward deep space, as there is some sort of commotion that we're supposed to sort out. So in my down time I've been thinking about those stories we used to talk about when we were children. You know, about Treasure Planet and all of that. Ame, don't you think it's possible? I think Captain Flint's treasure could be real. And I'll be the one to find it. Just wait and see! I might be a mere spacer now, but I promise you that I'll rise in my rank. Then when you're out of the Academy, we'll get a ship just like father's! It'll be great. That is, if you can find it in yourself to be a child again. Don't take offense - you know I'm teasing you. We'll have fun though. Anyway, I'd better go. Duty calls, even when you're doing nothing. Arrow sends his regards as well. I'll write to you soon.

All my love,

Tori

Amelia reflected on that tiny piece of paper for a moment. That letter that her sister had written her so long ago had kept her going since that terrible day. All of her dreams had seemed pointless since Victoria's death, but now it was time for her to move on. Not only for his sister, but also for herself. This journey that she was about to take just might be the best adventure of her life. And Victoria would've wanted her to embrace it with everything that she had. Slowly, she put the letter back in her pocket. Then she glanced up into the vast space that unfolded before her eyes… An endless night. With regained self-assurance, Captain Amelia looked proudly over her ship. It appeared that Dr. Doppler and his friend had arrived and were waiting for her to greet them. Amelia knew that it was time to go. And in the back of her mind, she knew that Victoria was waiting for her. Someday the proud first mate of the _Integrity_ would appear at the helm once again with her charming smile and sheer determination in her eyes. Until that day, Amelia knew that her sister would live on through her. It was time for her to chase that one dream that they had always held so dear. "I will find Treasure Planet for us, Tori," she said. "And I promise that this time I will not fail." 


End file.
